Our Friend Misery
by Mismatch Quinn
Summary: Sadie's cousin from Boston comes to visit bringing chaos in her wake. Someone's attacking the Brooklyn newsies and somebody becomes a father. Sequel to 'Not Enough Hope'.
1. Default Chapter

A/N - ***DISCLAIMER - - I do not own Newsies, or any of it's characters. The only character's I own are the ones I come up with. Don't sue me, you won't get much. Maybe a cigarette or a piece of gum. Thank you.--******  
  
The slate colored water looked frigid as Sadie watched it lap up against the pillars of the dock. Pulling a jacket one of the older boys had given her closer around herself, she settled on a crate to wait for them. It had been a month since the late night brawl with Manhattan. Sadie had found herself quickly settling into the routine of getting up with the newsboys of Brooklyn, working at the orphanage, and then heading to the docks to meet up with them around lunchtime. The schedule never wavered, even when Spot grumbled about not having enough alone time with her. Secretly he was glad that he had a girl who liked his newsies. Diamond had liked his newsies as well, but she had constantly complained about all the time that he had to put in with them. Being a leader was a full-time job. And Spot took it more seriously than some.  
A smile showed on her face as she felt and heard the first vibrating slap of feet on the dock. Some of the newsboys didn't have shoes yet, and with the beginning of November already past, Sadie was trying to remedy that. She grinned as Spider, Lefty and Frog zeroed in on her. Frog leapt into her lap, excitedly chattering about how he had actually sold all his papers, while Spider and Lefty flanked her, hands on her shoulders trying to interject bits and pieces of how their morning had gone as well. Whiskey winked at her as he and Mumbles passed by, and Pirate stopped to ask her news of Manhattan since she had spent the night there last night.  
"Ink was asking for you," she said with a smirk, as Pirate's face grew rosy from more than the cold air. He and Ink had begun to spend time together, a fact which didn't escape teasing from both newsie camps. Glowering at her with his snappy green eyes, he haughtily hefted his shillelagh up to one of his shoulders and continued on down the dock.  
The sudden tapping of a cane on the wooden planks of the dock made her heart skip. She was as crazy for Spot as she had been a month ago. When the Brooklyn leader appeared, she felt Spider and Lefty draw away, although Frog stubbornly clung to her. He was too young to understand her and Spot's relationship. All he knew was that when he wanted to spend time with Sadie, it seemed like Spot was always right there. Burying his face in her shoulder, Sadie smiled as she felt Frog grasp her sleeve tightly.  
Spot's icy blue eyes met her gray ones and his face softened when he saw Frog. Coughing and spitting onto the dock, he walked up to Sadie and looked down.  
" 'Ey there Froggie, what d'you say you let me sit in her lap for a change?" Frog's incredulous face turned towards Spot.  
"You're too big! I'm just the right size." Spot burst into laughter and slapped the side of Frog's face lightly before picking him up and hauling him off of Sadie.  
"Scoot ya little hooligan," he muttered affectionately, swatting at Frog's backside. Frog stuck his tongue out at Spot and scampered away to join Spider and Lefty who were sniggering behind dirty hands. Spot dropped onto the crate next to Sadie, and catching her hand up in his own, kissed it swiftly.  
"How are the Manhattan chumps, beautiful?" Sadie rolled her eyes.  
"Oh shut up Spot, you've started going down there again yourself so don't give me grief." Spot raised an eyebrow before snickering at her mock anger. Nudging him playfully she shuddered as his eyes darted towards the East River.  
"Don't even think about it Spot, I'll get pneumonia and die."  
"Oh well, we wouldn't want that then," he said his own eyes rolling this time. Gasping, she slapped his shoulder and he laughingly yelled out for someone to help defend him against her. She instantly felt hands clap on to her and begin to tickle her unmercifully. Twisting away, she batted at Whiskey, Pirate and Mumbles.  
"Don't make me tell Ink," she said pointing at Pirate warningly. His face paled almost imperceptibly which was enough to make Whiskey and Mumbles fall all over each other in laughter. Clapping Sadie on the shoulder, Whiskey wiped at his eyes.  
"Oh shit Trouble, you're something else."  
"Ahh, you're muddah," Pirate said jabbing at Whiskey with his shillelagh. Some of the boys had been getting attacked for their change and it was up to the older boys to sell as quickly as possible and patrol the younger boys' selling spots. Therefore Pirate was constantly trooping around with his weathered Irish club. Sadie jokingly sometimes called him Leprechaun, which he abhorred. But when Sadie made fun of all of them, it was a sign that she liked them, so he always took her ribbing with ease.  
" 'Ey Sadie, I saw your brother down around here today. He told me to let ya know that he needed to talk to ya." Sighing in annoyance, she thanked Crybaby who went back to playing craps with Whispers, Snot, and Rooster. She didn't know why her brother hadn't found her yesterday when she was in Manhattan. Hearing a holler that was definitely feminine, the boys looked up the dock to see Silent Striker and her troop of newsgirls. A somewhat new addition to Brooklyn, Silent Striker, or Striker as most called her had marched up to Spot one day and demanded a chance to run her own crew of newsies, all girls who Spot had denied the right to sell in Brooklyn. Along with some influencing from Sadie, he had finally agreed, after pitting most of the girls in a fight against carefully selected boys of his own. When the girls had stood their ground, he had grudgingly allowed them to stay, giving them the old warehouse down by the docks where the boys had first resided.  
Striker looked like she could have been Pirate's sister with her ebony hair and piercing green eyes. Her skin was the dark color of someone who spent most of his or her time outdoors, rain or shine. She was attired in her usual getup of brown pants, boots, a black tank top and a white button-down shirt thrown over that. She was wearing a cap that Sadie knew belonged to Whiskey. The girl was notorious for swiping unwary newsie's caps and taking them as her own until the owner demanded it back.  
"How's it hangin'?" She spit-shook with Spot and grinned at Sadie. The girl unfortunately had a temper to match Conlon's and she was quick to lash out when provoked. But generally, if you didn't make her mad she was a fun girl to be around. Most of the boys contrary to Spot's idea's of the girl's messing things up had adopted the newsgirls as younger siblings and watched out for them on the streets. Only a couple had chosen to get involved with some of them, and Sadie smiled inwardly as she saw Whiskey join the side of a short newsgirl named Mischief. The two were constantly coming home reeking of booze and laughing hysterically. More than once they had been locked out of the lodging house and instead had to go to the warehouse. Sam adamantly had said he didn't want any of the newsgirls spending the night, a fact which prompted any of the boys who desired that sort of contact to stay at the warehouse when they felt like it. Sadie knew of only a few of the boys who did that, Whiskey and Mumbles among them.  
Striker was almost immediately charged by the youngest newsies who loved her attention as much as Sadie's. Striker was constantly giving them sweets and little trinkets. She had told Sadie one time that she loved children and her proof was in the undying affection she gave to them. Sadie had brought her to the orphanage, and Striker had gotten a job there a few days a week helping with the children. There was only six other Brooklyn newsgirls. Mischief O'Halloran was one of them. Then came Justice O'Brien, Harlot McDermott, Tangle Riordan, Ronnie Chase, Trips O'Keefe and the littlest one of all, an eight-year-old they called Speckle for the vast amounts of freckles adorning her elfin face.  
"Justice got roughed up for her pocket money today," Striker said unconsciously curling her hands into fists. Glancing over at the slight girl, Sadie felt anger course through her. Justice was a blonde haired, blue-eyed girl who weighed ninety pounds soaking wet. Taking anything from her wouldn't be a challenge. Spot lit a cigarette and eyeing the skinny girl for a second, looked back to Striker.  
"Somebody's going to be hurtin' once we find out who it is. Don't worry Striker, I'm about as fed up with it as you are." Striker nodded with a satisfied look on her face. Once Spot Conlon decided something was going to be dealt with, it was. She had no doubt in her mind that they would sort out whoever it was who was messing with the wrong borough and it's newsie's. 


	2. Chapter Two

"Justice, come here." The slender girl leapt at Spot's voice but obediently trotted over. Most of the girl's except for Striker and Harlot were scared of Spot. His notoriety went before him in most of New York City's boroughs. Justice stood in front of Spot, Striker and Sadie, her arms crossed in front of her, elbow's straining at the weak fabric of her gingham shirt.  
"What did the kid look like what took your money? And how much was it?" Unlike at the lodging house, the girls who lived in the warehouse didn't have a manager nor did they have to pay. Eventually, they would move into more suitable quarters and acquire a manager if they wanted. Most of the girls pitched in a dime a week for Striker to buy things they needed. Sam's wife Becca was often over at the warehouse cleaning, or looking after a sick girl. She mended their clothing and was also teaching Speckles and Trips how to read. Sadie secretly thought that Harlot and Mischief didn't know how to read either, but neither girl would admit it.  
"He...I'm pretty sure it was a he, I couldn't see his face he was wearing a scarf wrapped 'round his head. Dressed like one of us, ratty clothing and all y'know? Wore a cap to cover his hair. Pretty big fella too. Tall, with nice shoulders. Looked like he was fair burstin' out of his jacket." Justice had a soft Irish brogue. Most of Brooklyn's population was made up of Irish either fresh off the boat or a few generations old. Spot lit a cigarette and picking a few flecks of tobacco off of his tongue, rubbed his narrow chin.  
" Rooster, Dice, Whispers c'mere." Calling over the three boys who had gotten their money taken besides Justice, they stood in a line in front of Spot. Dice was a newcomer to the group. He was missing his two front teeth, and had brown hair that was forever sticking up. At nine, he was one of the younger ones so Spot had taken him under his wing. Dice always tended to have his hands wrapped around his pair of die that he used to win many a craps game. Sadie was always slightly taken aback at the knowledge of some of the younger kids. Another new boy Fingers had lied straight to her face when she met him about his parents being dead while picking her pocket as she held him after he had started to 'cry'. At eight years of age, it was quite an accomplishment, which Spot had rewarded with a cuff to the head and a job as a newsie.  
"Justice describe to them what you just told me." Justice rattled off her description of the thief, and the other three boys nodded before jabbering excitedly that the scum who taken their money looked exactly the same. Spot exhaled a cloud of smoke out of his nostrils and looked off across the river thoughtfully.  
"Now that we know what he looks like, we'll have to keep an eye out for him. Any of you kids see anyone dressed like that who starts to show up in places you do more than once you let me know. We have to figure out how he's picking his areas. He's obviously picking on you little kids, which means he's a coward," with this Spot spat in disgust and a few of the older boys cracked their knuckles.  
The bell began to ring, signaling the kids back to the Distribution center for the afternoon addition. Spot caught up to Sadie and took her elbow pulling her back away from the group of kids as they made their way up the docks. Looking at him questioningly, she waved good-bye to Spider, Lefty, and Frog. Settling down onto a crate, Spot sat her down onto his lap. Snorting with laughter, she caught his chin in her hand and tugged at it.  
"What and the fearless Brooklyn doesn't have to work like the rest of the other kids?" Spot rested his forehead against her shoulder and took a deep breath before responding.  
"Spot went to Sheepshead with Race last night and made five bucks. God you smell good, how do you always smell so good?" Lifting his head up he waited for her to answer. Sadie smiled down into his blue eyes that for once seemed totally relaxed yet still vigilant.  
" I work with babies, Conlon. Babies have a natural good smell to them." Spot chuckled.  
"What, you mean shit and throw-up? That doesn't sound good to me." Sadie rolled her eyes and tried to pull away in mock disgust, but Spot tightened his grip around her waist and buried his head against her once more. His shoulders were moving and it took Sadie a second to realize that he was laughing.  
"No babies for me. I couldn't stand it." Sadie shook her head in disagreement.  
"I don't think so. I think you'd make a good daddy once you put your mind to it. You're always taking care of the little kids. Wouldn't you like to have a kid of your own to take care of?" Spot's blue eyes held hers as he raised an eyebrow sardonically.  
"Sweetface, I'd rather stick a needle in my eye. Sure," with this he nipped at her shoulder before rising and catching her hand in his own.  
"I wouldn't mind having an army of Conlon brats to overrun Brooklyn and insure that my rule here would never end. But not for awhile, 'ey?" Whirling her around in a spin, he winked and waggled his eyebrows suggestively at her.  
" 'Sides are you offering to have my babies?" Sadie snorted with mirth, as she shook her head, no. Spot pouted before adjusting his cane securely in his belt loop and pulling her down the docks with him.  
"Let's go find out what this brother of yours wants. I'm in the mood for a little adventure." It didn't take them long to get to Manhattan after Spot showed her how to hop a carriage. They held on and she enjoyed the luxury of not having to walk for once. The driver didn't notice them until they reached the Square, and hauling the carriage to a stop, horses rearing, he swore at them while they laughed and ran away.  
The Manhattan newsies had long ago returned to work like the Brooklyn kids, so they only exchanged a few nods with some of the boys selling as they walked to Mr. Foster's shop. Seeing Crutchy, Spot nodded at him and asked after his leg. It hadn't been the same since the strike a few months ago after the Delancey brother's had worked him over. Reaching the shop, they went inside, the little bell over the door tinkling merrily.  
Jeremiah poked his head up from behind the counter where Sadie knew he was counting the bolts of fabric that lined the wall in cubbies. Beaming from ear to ear, her brother leapt over the counter with ease and embraced her.  
"What and you can't come say hi to your family when you stay in Manhattan? It takes this one to bring you down here?" He jerked a thumb in Spot's direction before shaking hands with him, minus a wad of spit in the palm. Sadie crossed her arms over her chest and lifted an eyebrow at him.  
"Same goes to you big brother. I heard you were all the way in Brooklyn this morning. You know where the orphanage is. Say, why were you in Brooklyn anyway?" Jeremiah winked at her and tapped his nose.  
"That's my secret, little sister. I have news from Boston. News you won't like anyway." Sadie felt her stomach tighten as Jeremiah handed her a letter. It was post-marked a week ago. She felt her mouth compress into a thin line as she recognized her cousin Emma's handwriting.  
  
Dear Aunt Martha, Jeremiah, and Sadie, I know it's been awhile since I've seen you but I'm in a spot of trouble here in Boston. My mother told me that you wouldn't mind helping me out and suggested I come to stay in New York with you. I know it's short notice, but I should be arriving within the week. Tell Sadie I'm looking forward to seeing her again.  
  
Love, Emma  
  
Spot was snickering over the word's 'spot' and 'trouble' in the letter. He had been secretly taking lessons with Becca to improve his reading. He had already known how to read but he wanted to be able to read books. Anything to help calm him down in his spare time. Sadie was a patient girl, but she had already voiced her displeasure with his drinking. He drank entirely too much in her opinion and although Spot was loathe to give it up he didn't want to lose her because of it.  
Sadie growled in displeasure and almost tore up the letter. Emma Fitzgerald was nothing more than a meddlesome pest who got her kicks out of making other people miserable. Her whole life Emma had been right alongside teasing her, flirting with the boys she liked, hiding her school books ten minutes before school so that she would be late, and in general pissing Sadie off to the point of where one day she soaked her. The tanning she got from her father before he died for beating up family had been both ironic and painful. Emma hadn't been an easy girl to beat up either. At 5'7 she was a little taller than Spot, and a lot taller than Sadie. Sadie didn't know what the girl would look like now, and she wasn't looking forward to finding out.  
Jeremiah smiled sympathetically at her and explained the situation to a thoroughly amused Spot, who kneaded her neck muscles while trying to hide his smile. Sadie gave him a venomous look and declared that she was going to find Diamond. Spot lost his grin and eyed her pointedly. He still didn't like to be around Diamond or Jack, but was learning to get over it. Last week he had actually gone to the Manhattan Lodging house for a game of poker with Race and a few other boys.  
"Fine, you go ahead then. I'll just stay here with your brother." Spot crossed his arms and tried to give Sadie's mother a winning smile as the woman appeared from the apartment overhead. She looked at Spot sternly before pinching his cheek and telling him to gain some weight. Spot rolled his eyes behind her back, which prompted Sadie to cuff him and Jeremiah to burst into laughter.  
"Oh you children! You're going to be the death of me." The bell over the door chimed again and a snooty looking well-dressed woman swept in followed by three loudly complaining children. Spot eyed them with disgust before turning back to Sadie.  
"On second thought, maybe I will go with you. Let's get the hell outta here." The woman sniffed loudly at his language and he looked at her and laughed in her face before grabbing Sadie's hand and swaggering out of the store. Sadie snickered and pinched his arm as they walked towards Irving Hall, where Diamond sold her papers.  
"You really are somethin' else Conlon," Sadie said shaking her head. Spot lit a smoke and gave her one, which she deftly lit off of his.  
"Ain't I though? Look, there's Diamond." Diamond was waving a paper over her head and hollering a headline. Coming around full circle, her face broke into a wide grin as she saw the pair heading towards her.  
"Brooklyn! Trouble! How's it rolling?" Sadie hugged the tall girl and eyed her curiously. Diamond's skin seemed to be glowing, and she was obviously in perfect health. But there were circles under her eyes and she wouldn't look at Spot except for nervous darting glances.  
"I ain't gonna soak ya Diamond, why're you lookin at me like I'm goin' to try to kill ya?" Spot had noticed her furtive looks too. Diamond threw back her head and laughed just a bit too loudly.  
"Oh no reason Spot, no reason. So how's Brooklyn?" This time she obviously meant the other boys, so Sadie and Spot gave her details about the comings and goings of the newsboys. Diamond was curious about the group of girls and how they were faring.  
"Striker's a good choice for a leader. She's got a good head on her shoulders. And well, damn if she doesn't act like we could be related. That's definitely a good sign of a great leader." Diamond winked at Sadie who struggled not to snort with laughter. Spot brought up the kid or man or whoever it was that was stealing money from Brooklyn newsies. Diamond looked concerned, and asked what he was going to do.  
"I'm going to find the S.O.B and beat him so hard he won't think twice about even setting foot in Brooklyn ever again. Nobody messes with my newsies, NOBODY." With that, he emphasized his point by striking his cane on the cobblestones. Diamond handed a gentleman two papers awarding him with one of her beaming smiles before glancing up at the sky and then back to them.  
"If you help me sell my papers we can head back to Duane Street. I hear Race is having another poker night in light of the winnings you both acquired at Sheepshead last night." Spot looked arrogantly down his nose at her.  
"He won nowhere near what I did and there's no way he's going to try to win it back tonight." Casting a curious glance at Sadie who nodded her approval, he inclined his head towards Diamond.  
"However, I think we'd both like a night of poker if there's a good game going on." With that, the trio set about to sell all of Diamond's remaining papers as quickly as possible. Sadie was troubled by Diamond's weird behavior, and even more troubled at the prospect of having to live anywhere near her cousin Emma again. Sighing, she vowed to pry out what was wrong with Diamond later on that night. 


	3. Chapter Three

A/N - Ahh my loyal reviewers how you rock.  
  
Hills of Eire- I'll be incorporating your character into the story soon. Thanks for lending it to me. Let me know if anyone strikes your fancy as a love interest if you want one as I go along. You'll have to wait and see about both Emma and Diamond. I have plans for them both ; )  
  
Callista-bella- Thanks for coming back and reading this story! I appreciate your reviews, thank you so much.  
  
Angelfish7- Of course more Striker. She's in the story now, ; )  
  
Kloppman nodded at Spot, Sadie and Diamond as they entered the lodging house. Spot had used some of his winnings from the track to buy them hot dogs. Diamond had picked at hers before turning slightly green. Spot had deftly taken her food and finished it himself, looking at her in curiosity. She ignored him, speaking mostly to Sadie.  
A few of the younger boys stopped playing marbles to gape up at Spot in awe as they reached the boy's bunkroom. Jack, Race, Mush, Kid Blink, Snitch, Skittery, Specs, Dutchy, David, and Bumlets sat around the battered table in the corner, cigarettes or cigars hanging out of respective mouths, brows furrowed in concentration. Jack looked up and his eyes glowed warmly at Diamond before he slapped down two cards and waited for Race to deal him replacements. Looking slightly pleased, which could also mean he was bluffing, Cowboy spat into his hand and solemnly shook Spot's ink-stained own.  
"How's it goin' Trouble?" Sadie winked at Jack and putting her hand on the nape of Racetrack's neck peered at his cards. Racetrack made a noise of protest around the stub of his cigar but grinned when she swatted at his head playfully.  
"Twenty cents, that's me last bid." Kid Blink threw his coins on the table and fanned his hand out in front of him. Groans arose as the others either threw their cards down in disgust or carefully placed them on the table, eyes darting from his to theirs to make sure they hadn't beaten him. Jack threw up a hand and laughed before meeting Spot's gaze.  
"Business meetin' Kelly?" The two rose and made their way over towards the window that led to the fire escape. Sadie watched Spot saunter over for a moment, a half-smile on her face. He carried himself regally for somebody who lived on the streets most of the time. Feeling a heavy weight land on her shoulders, she bent forward as Ink leapt on her.  
"Where's my man!" Laughing, she dumped Ink onto the floor and exchanged smiles with Cloudy and Sorrow. Ink jumped to her feet and badgered Sadie for news about Pirate. Clearly put out that he hadn't chosen to accompany Spot and Sadie to Manhattan, she flopped down onto Snoddy's bunk, eliciting a complaint from the boy that was quickly silenced with a well-placed elbow. Affronted, Snoddy rose from his bed and joined the group at the table.  
"Pirate asked about you today Ink." Ink's dark face immediately brightened, and she snatched a cigarette from Snoddy's stash.  
"Well God bless the boy then. I ain't givin' him the time of day for nothin'." Lighting the smoke, she held it out to Sadie who took a few puffs before handing it back. Darting a glance over at Spot and Jack, she saw the serious looks on their faces and knew they were discussing the attacks. Looking over at Diamond, she saw the girl rubbing her stomach a complete look of misery on her face. Nudging Sorrow, she leaned close to the other girl's ear.  
"What's her deal?" Sorrow pursed her lips thoughtfully.  
"I'd tell ya what I think, but it ain't none of my business. She ain't said nothin' yet, but maybe she'll tell you. She holds ya in high regard. You did win Brooklyn over." Sorrow's eyes flickered towards Spot and back. Nodding and sighing, Sadie rose and approached Diamond who looked up at her dully.  
"Let's go talk." The taller girl nodded and pausing to swing a jacket around her shoulders along with Jack's cowboy hat, they trooped out of the lodging house onto the street. Burying her hands in the large jacket she herself wore, Sadie whistled a little tune as they trudged along enjoying the orange light of the setting sun. A cold wind bit at their cheeks and tore at their hair. Sadie paused in the sanctuary of an alleyway to light a cigarette.  
"Okay Diamond," she said waving the smoking match before dropping it onto the sidewalk. Diamond waited expectantly, dread shining in her blue eyes.  
"What the hell is going on?" Kicking at a piece of trash, the redhead sighed heavily and scowled.  
"You of all people I do not want to be telling this to." Taken aback, Sadie raised her eyebrows as Diamond continued on.  
"I'm sure you can understand that when Spot and I were together we were, ah...Intimate." Color bloomed high on the girl's cheeks and she ducked her eyes towards her feet. Sadie had had no illusions about the fact that Spot and Diamond probably had slept together. Her and Spot hadn't done so as of yet, she had the feeling he was taking it slow thinking she had never done anything of the sort. Snorting to herself, she shook her head. 'Boy won't he be surprised', she thought. There were many things Sadie didn't know about the Brooklyn leader but likewise, there were many things he didn't know about her either.  
"Yeah, so? I won't hold that against ya." Diamond took a deep breath and lifted her chin to look Sadie in the eyes squarely.  
"Maybe not that, but you will this. Sure, me and Cowboy have been together but I found out just recently that I'm going to have a baby. And it ain't Jack's." Sadie felt the cigarette drop out of her fingers and her mouth fall just as far. Looking at the beautiful, miserable girl standing in the cold night air, wringing her hands with an apologetic look on her face, Sadie suddenly felt nothing for her but a keen sense of jealousy.  
"Look I know you're mad, and I wasn't going to tell ya, but shit it would be hard to hide in a few months. I counted the last time I got my monthlies and it stopped a month before I left Brooklyn to be with Jack. I thought it was from lack of food at the time. Sometimes that would happen to me. I didn't start getting sick in the mornings until a few weeks ago. At first I thought it was the flu, or cholera, or typhoid. God knows I wish it were now. But then my friend Harriet sat me down and asked me if I had been seeing anyone. Said I had the 'glow' that most pregnant women get." Sadie barely listened to the other girl rattle on, nerves shot.  
'It wasn't fair'. The thought came to her mind unbidden. Somewhere in her head and heart she felt an acute sense of sympathy for Diamond being a young girl, unmarried, with a child on the way. She was barely able to support herself let alone a baby. She also had to be unsure as to how Jack would take it. Would he reject her once he found out it was Spot's? Would she try to pass it off as his? Then like an arrow, something icy cold struck her deep in her chest.  
What would Spot do? Surely he wouldn't demand to take Diamond back with him to Brooklyn. He had to care about Sadie enough not to feel obligated to try to be with Diamond once more for the baby's sake. Would he even care that she was with child? Her mind raced back to the conversation they had had only just this morning about children. He had adamantly stated that he wasn't ready for them and didn't want them. This would be a heavy blow to his lifestyle. Not just his, but everyone around them. Sadie suddenly realized that Diamond had grown silent, her eyes fixed on Sadie's face.  
"Sadie?" The tentative question hung in the air between them. Sadie wanted to be angry, wanted to strike out at the other girl. But she knew that she had no right. What had happened between Diamond and Spot had happened before she came along. Any repercussions of that relationship she would help Spot through if he wanted. But she'd be damned if she lost him back to Diamond after she had won him only so recently.  
"I don't want Spot back Sadie." The quiet statement was enough to make Sadie jerk her eyes up to Diamond's thin face. Flushing with shame, Sadie hung her head. Feeling a hand on her shoulder, she looked up once more.  
"I just want this baby to be healthy, and I want Jack to stay with me. I gave up Spot willingly, for a reason. We weren't meant to be. I would never try to lie to myself just for that extra security." Sadie suddenly found herself wrapping her arms around the other girl's body.  
"Everything will be okay, Diamond." Her murmured words of comfort made Diamond finally lose what little hold she had on her frazzled emotions, and she let out a half-choked sob. Rocking the taller girl back and forth, she whispered comforting things to her while Diamond wept onto Sadie's shoulder. Pulling away finally, the other girl wiped her eyes on her sleeve.  
"We should probably get back. They'll think we got into a scrape or something." Sadie made a scoffing noise, but Diamond fondly wagged her finger at the short girl.  
"You're nickname ain't Trouble for nothing, there girlie." Laughing, the two made their way back to the lodging house, their thoughts swirling about them like a thick mist after it rained.  
  
"'Ey there you two are! We thought something horrible had happened. Since you went off with Trouble, y'know," Sadie swatted at Kid Blink who grinned and feinted a punch at her arm. The poker game had begun to wind down, the largest pile of change sitting in front of a beaming Specs who was fending off Racetrack's attempts at trying to get him to play other gambling games.  
"Craps? Black Jack? Spades? Come ON Specs, you can't stop now." Specs swept the money into his cap and looked down at Race with a smirk on his face.  
"I can, and I will."  
"Ah go soak your head then, ya bum."  
The newsgirls had long since migrated to their own bunkroom, Diamond joining them after kissing Jack good night. Sadie watched them; her mind focused on the secret that she had been told. She would bet a week's worth of wages that Jack didn't know yet. Spot and her got ready to take the short walk back to her mother's place where they would be spending the night. There were no extra bunks in the Manhattan lodging house. After the strike there had been a swelling of new newsies joining the ranks of all the boroughs. More came trickling in each day. Spot made sure he had his cane tucked into his belt loop and Sadie fussed over him, buttoning up the new coat he had bought a few days ago. Spot was on a lucky streak down at the races. The night before hadn't been the first time this week he'd struck gold betting on horses. They both knew that it would end just as suddenly as it had started. That was the way of the gambling world. Whatever you won could be lost just as fast.  
"Stoppit woman, you ain't my mother."  
"Thank God for that." Spot sniffed at her pointedly.  
"I can't imagine any adult being able to handle a child such as you must have been." Spot shrugged.  
"Things change y'know. I wasn't always like this." Sadie gave him a distrusting look and he barked out a hoarse laugh, tucking her hand into his and into his pocket as they started their walk.  
"From what I can remember I was an easy going kid. Shit was never happy, but I was usually capable of doin' what I was told. Didn't get my attitude problem till after my parents died, and they stuck me in an orphanage." Shuddering, he released Sadie's hand long enough to light a cigarette.  
"And you wonder why I hate nuns." Sadie rolled her eyes.  
"Not all of them are doing the Devil's work, Conlon. On the contrary, some of them are actually here in the service of our Lord." Spot snorted. Sadie had been raised a strict Catholic in Boston, her mother's rigidly Roman Catholic Irish family always on hand to school her and her brother Jeremiah in the catechism.  
"I used to go to church I think. Least, I can remember goin' there with my parents. After they died though and I was stuck with them bitches," catching Sadie's raised eyebrow, he lifted his hands up in appeasement.  
"Okay, okay. With them nuns," raising his own eyebrows at her mockingly, he continued when she nodded.  
"They sucked the hope right out of me they did. That's been my motto for a long time y'know. Too much faith, not enough hope. Seems like people can always sit around and say, 'Don't you worry lad life won't be hard forever. Keep the faith, you'll see'. But there's only so long faith can carry ya when you've lost hope that it's going to work." Sadie was struck speechless by his sudden outpouring of emotion. Spot must have noticed because he squeezed her hand tightly.  
"I don't know what it is about you Trouble. You make me feel like I can say whatever I want, and not feel like an ass." Sadie gave him a sweet smile, and raised her finger to her lips as they neared the tailor's shop. Taking a key out of her pocket, she unlocked the door and led him through the bottom floor of the shop. Silently they made their way up the stairs where she unlocked the apartment door and let him in. Her mother, anticipating that they would return late had left out a loaf of bread and some cheese which they gratefully scoffed down, stopping only to swig water out of a jug. Sadie marveled at the fact that her mother would be okay with her only daughter running around with such a notorious character as Spot Conlon. But like her brother Jeremiah had said after he had met him, ' I knew you'd be safe with him', a sentiment she knew her mother shared.  
As proper as her mother believed Sadie to be, Sadie had a few tricks of her own up her sleeve to play. Pulling Spot along into her bedroom, she separated the blankets on the bed, laying one down onto the floor over a thickly braided cloth rug.  
"For later," she whispered to Spot. He quirked an eyebrow at her in question, but understood that she meant he would have to move to the floor come morning so her mother wouldn't find him sharing a bed with Sadie.  
Shivering in the chilly room, they quickly took off as many articles of clothing as they dared without removing enough to freeze to death. Clambering into the bed, Spot pulled Sadie close as she draped the quilt over them. Planting a chaste kiss on her forehead, he almost immediately fell asleep. Sadie grinned in the darkness. She knew how tired he got when his infamous bouts of insomnia finally settled back into submission. When he wasn't selling, he was usually sleeping, storing up energy for the next attack. Snuggling down into the crook of his arm, laying her head on his chest, she lay awake far into the night unable to sleep. 


	4. Chapter Four

Spot awoke sometime before dawn. He blinked his eyes trying to remember where he was, when he felt a weight on his chest. Smiling and glancing down, he saw Sadie curled up at his side. Stroking a lock of her long black hair, he was content to lay in bed with her awhile longer. But he knew that he had to get back to Brooklyn before the Distribution office opened. It wouldn't do to have the leader of Brooklyn slacking off whenever he felt like it. It set a bad example. Careful not to jar her awake, Spot rose and pulled his trousers and undershirt on. Buttoning up his gingham shirt, he snapped his suspenders over his shoulders and arranged his cane and slingshot. Finding his jacket draped carefully over a chair, he buttoned that on as well. It would be cold outside, and he didn't want to get sick. Finding his boots was a different matter. One lay beside the bed, and after crawling almost all the way under the small bed he found the other one laying dejectedly in the corner.  
Bending over the sleeping girl, he kissed her cheek and then he kissed her gently on the lips. She stirred briefly but didn't wake. Tip- toeing out of the bedroom, he made his way through the apartment, down the flight of stairs, and out of the tailor's shop. Pausing on the sidewalk outside, he lit a cigarette and continued on his way towards Brooklyn. The streets were empty and dark. Eerie shadows danced on the walls cast by the dim street lamps. Any ordinary person would have been afraid, but Spot knew that he could take care of himself. He had grown up in Brooklyn, and Manhattan was no Brooklyn. The sun was beginning to cast a faint glow on the horizon by the time he reached the middle of the Brooklyn Bridge. Stopping to look at the view, he lit another cigarette, the first having long since been ground into the cobblestones.  
As smoke trailed up around his head he contemplated what he was going to do about this mysterious person stealing from his newsies. It was almost unheard of, to attack one of Spot Conlon's boys or now girls and get away with it. No kid would have ever dared to do it alone, or much less even entertained the thought. He wondered if it was someone from Harlem. He had never gotten along with Inch Richards, the leader of Harlem, or come to think of it Tink Lewis, the leader of the Five Points. Snorting with laughter, he pushed himself off of the railing and started walking again. Tink Lewis was actually the girlfriend of Blade O'Halloran who was doing time in the Refuge. He had been sentenced there till he was twenty-one for killing another newsie. Tink had been the most logical choice for leader since anybody tough enough to one, survive the Five Points, and two, date Blade, was a perfect candidate. It was well known that Tink visited Blade every Sunday and made sure to carry out his orders exactly.  
Hunching his shoulders against a sudden wind, his mind rambled on. None of the other factions of Brooklyn kids would dare oppose him. He had no worries about Coney Island or Greenpoint. There could be Jersey newsies crossing over to do some damage, but again, he wasn't so sure. Any of the other boroughs he had no problem with. Jack kept a pretty diplomatic stand with all the other leaders, and it was well known that he supported Brooklyn. Especially after the strike, not many boroughs felt like challenging either Manhattan or Brooklyn in territory battles. Which led him to believe it was someone acting on his or her own. Sneering, he shook his head and spat. Independent gangs gave him the most trouble. Not newsies, or even affiliated with any other working class kids, the independents were just in it for the blood and money. Some like the Doyle Street Boys were older kids who were getting into the bigger and better things. They didn't have time to rough up random newsies. Besides, Jasper wouldn't allow it. Some of the other more petty gangs of pickpockets or thieves would. Hell he even knew a few street-walking ladies who would have no problem making an unwary newsie's pockets lighter.  
The familiar background of Brooklyn comforted him. He was back on his turf, and he strutted. Heading to the Distribution Office, he could hear the clamoring of his newsies as they got into a disorderly line to buy their papers. Walking through the gates, he was greeted by Whiskey and Mumbles, along with Striker, who was yawning and looking like she wanted to punch Trips, who was chattering nonstop. Then his gaze sharpened as he saw a new face standing next to Harlot. The girl was small, height and weight wise. She was about Trouble's size, except maybe a tad taller. Her eyes were a shocking brilliant blue that stood out in her pale face. Dark brown hair tumbled around her shoulders. The girl met his gaze steadily, and Spot saw Striker look at them.  
"Oh Spot, she came yesterday while you and Sadie were in Manhattan. Says her name's Lucky." Spot arrogantly inclined his head at her, which made Lucky smirk slightly before the wooden plank covering the barred window flew open and Jake, the manager of the D.O. hollered in his grating voice for the kids to come get their 'damn papers'. Making a mental note to keep better track of newcomers, Spot bought his papers and headed off to his selling spot. Before he left the yard, he informed Pirate that he would loan him the money to sleep in the lodging house tonight so he could do his rounds of all the younger newsies selling spots. Pirate nodded grimly before heading off to where Lefty and Frog sold together. That was another one of Spot's new rules. If you were ten years old or younger you had to sell with an older boy. Some of the older boys grumbled, but they were silent when Spot was around. Hefting his papers onto his shoulder, Spot squared his back and set off.  
  
Sadie awoke confused at where she was for instant. The place where Spot had lain beside her was cold and she clucked her tongue in disappointment. Stretching her hands over her head as far as she could go, she went stiff as she heard a familiar slightly nasal voice with a strong Boston accent. Leaping out of bed she threw her clothes on, a worn blue skirt and her shawl. Yanking her stockings on so fast she almost ripped one; she ran her fingers through her hair and slipped her boots on.  
Out in the kitchen her brother Jeremiah sat with a look of faint disdain on his face as he swirled coffee around in a tin mug. Groaning inwardly, Sadie tried to put a false smile on her own face as her cousin Emma whirled around in her chair and cried out in delight.  
"Oh Sadie! You ARE here! I'm SO glad to see you!" The taller girl jumped out of her chair and threw her arms around Sadie. Sadie gingerly patted Emma on the back and squirreled out of her clinging grasp. Emma hadn't changed much in the year since Sadie had seen her last. Her red hair came from her mother, and she still had a mass of freckles on her pale cheeks. Probing gray eyes shifted constantly and had a cunning light to them. She was taller, if that was possible, and much thinner. Her clothes were shabby and ill fitting. The dress she wore was one she had had since she was fourteen, something that should have been thrown out long ago now that she was almost seventeen.  
"Did you just get here? How was your trip?" Emma chattered on and on about how she had arrived in New York that morning and the train ride was wretched, and she was starving, and how she missed Boston. Jeremiah gave Sadie a Look and muttering something about getting to work, rose and made his escape. Emma looked at Sadie innocently and put her hands on her knees.  
"So, what do you do all day then?"  
"I work in an orphanage and then I spend the rest of the day with the newsies." Emma gave a scoffing chuckle.  
"No really, I mean what do you do? Aren't you in school?" Sadie felt her eyes grow murderous.  
"No, Emma. I do what I said."  
"NEWSIES? My, my you've stepped down in the world. From your usual working class heroes." Emma was referring to the friends and boyfriends Sadie had had in Boston. More often then not, Sadie usually dated dockworkers or fishermen and the like. Emma had always tried to land rich boyfriends. Something she had done frequently, but could never keep them.  
"So," Sadie said wanting to change the subject "Why are you here?" Emma avoided her gaze and began to pick at the skirt of her dress.  
"I just needed a change of scenery. I was tired of living at home. Ma remarried and the man is a horrible wretch." Sadie guessed that her Aunt Colleen had told Emma that it was time for her to get a job and start a family of her own. Aunt Colleen was a no-nonsense type of a woman, one who didn't have time for Emma's dreams of landing a wealthy man so that she could wallow in someone else's money all day.  
"Well it may surprise you," from Emma's tone it was clearly surprising to her at least "that some people from Boston can't seem to stop asking for you. Swagger for instance." Sadie felt her cheek's suddenly burn. Swagger Riordan had been the last boy she had been seeing when she left Boston with her mother and Jeremiah. He had worked as a bouncer in his spare time at pubs, or dabbling in the art of forgery. He actually reminded her a lot of Spot now that she thought about it. But Spot was a hard worker and dedicated to his gang of boys. Swagger had just been a conniving, thieving, yet charming lout. Emma gave a laugh that was far from friendly.  
"Yes he misses his dear little Sadie. You left him hanging when you took off to New York the way you did." Sadie snorted and slammed a hand down on the table.  
"Let's get one thing straight, Emma. You have never, nor do you now like me. All you've ever done is treat me like shit. And this ain't Boston anymore. So you better watch your snooty little ass." A flash of malice shot through Emma's eyes before she made them wide and hurt.  
"Why Sadie I don't know what you're talking about. I've never done anything to hurt you and I never will." Sadie held up a hand to stop Emma from talking. Fuming inwardly about the fact that Emma was probably going to tag along with her all day, she tightened her shawl around her and gave her a pointed look.  
"I'm going to talk to one of my friends. I'd really actually like it if you came along." Smiling inwardly at the reverse psychology, she saw Emma look at her distrustfully before the tall girl stood and shook her head, red curls bouncing.  
"No, I have some other things to do today. I'm SURE I'll run into you later." And with that the girl disappeared down the stairs towards the shop. Sadie gave a growl of frustration and would have punched the wall if it weren't for her Ma coming into the kitchen, a fond smile on her worn face.  
"I know you don't like her, lovey. Just remember that she's had a tough year." Kissing Sadie on the cheek, her Ma continued her way down into the shop to start another ten-hour day. Sadie knew that she should get back to Brooklyn and the orphanage, but she wanted to talk to Diamond some more. If that girl was planning on just springing all HER news onto Spot and Jack the way she had done it to Sadie, then she had another thing coming. Smiling ruefully, she shook her head as she waved at Mr. Foster down in the shop and walked onto the sidewalk. Striking a match some distance away and lighting a cigarette, she headed toward Irving Hall her thoughts all jumbled. She knew Diamond was a smart girl, but then again she had proven to be quite the risk-taker. Any girl who decided to sleep with a boy out of wedlock was asking for the chance of quite possibly becoming pregnant. She knew she wasn't one to judge, she had done it herself. She had just also been one of the lucky ones.  
A spasm of pain practically made her double over as she remembered just how 'lucky'. True she hadn't had a child, but she almost had. Swagger's as a matter of fact. If it hadn't been for the miscarriage she would probably still be in Boston, living in Swagger's two room apartment in a tenement building in South Boston that he shared with his two uncles, sister, and brother. In truth, that whole fiasco is what made her Ma finally decided to take her children and leave Southie. Sadie was looked on as something tainted in their violent yet highly Catholic neighborhood. Not that many of the women were much better, or had made any less mistakes. But it wasn't anyone decent who came calling on her after she had lost the baby.  
Crossing her arms over her middle, she felt a tear slide down her cheek. It still made her ache inside to think about the poor little thing she had lost. Biting her lip she took a drag of her cigarette. That was what she had meant when she had realized that although Spot kept many things from her, she also in turn kept many things from him. She wasn't sure how he'd feel if he knew about Swagger or her lost baby. She really didn't want him to ever find out. It wasn't as if it had happened in the time that she had known him. Therefore it wasn't any of his business. Nodding stoutly, she saw Diamond's shining red hair and raising a hand in the air, she hollered a hello to the newsgirl. 


	5. Chapter Five

Diamond looked up and smiled brightly as she saw Sadie approach. Tucking the remainder of her newspapers underneath a thin arm she drew Sadie close to her in a one-armed hug. Sadie blew a lungful of smoke out and steadied herself as the taller girl let go finally.  
"Still in Manhattan I see. Spot went back to Brooklyn then?" Sadie nodded and eyed Diamond thoughtfully.  
"He doesn't know yet Diamond, I haven't told him." Diamond seemed to deflate right then and there letting out a gust of breath. Sadie watched the tension drain from her thin face and clucked her tongue.  
"You need to be taking care of yourself you're eating and living for two now." Diamond cocked her head at Sadie a lock of her shining copper hair falling into her face. Tucking it behind one of her ears she shook her head.  
"Sometimes when you give me advice I think that you've experienced more than you let on." Sadie felt a dull ache start to throb around her heart and tried to banish the flush that suddenly stained her cheeks. Diamond clasped her hands around one of Sadie's and looked at her earnestly.  
"It's not a bad thing Sadie, anything you know that might help I'd like to hear. I swear on my unborn kid's life that I won't tell Spot." Sadie gave Diamond a stern glance.  
"You shouldn't do that and what I tell or don't tell Spot will be my choice and for his ear's only. Nobody needs to know the details of my past they aren't important." Diamond snorted softly and shook her head.  
"That's bullshit Trouble, and you know it." Sadie waved a hand in dismissal and took Diamond's newspapers away from her.  
"Let me carry these for ya."  
"I'm not even two months pregnant and I sure as hell ain't a weakling," Diamond protested.  
"Yeah but you're a street kid you have to watch out for yourself a bit more than a rich pregnant lady would." Diamond sighed and finally gave in. Together they walked down the sidewalk talking about nonsense things, Sadie venting about the appearance of her cousin.  
"I bet if we introduced her to the Delancey's they'd scare her off." Sadie got a hopeful light in her eyes which she quickly dashed away.  
"Nah that's something I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy." Kicking a stone, Sadie watched it bounce against the cobblestones of the street.  
"When are you going to tell Jack?" Diamond looked as if she was going to vomit suddenly and she shook her head. Sadie looked at her concerned.  
"You know you have to tell him Di." This time Diamond did puke and lurched away into a nearby alleyway. Some kids lounging in its shadows playing jumped up with cries of disgust. Sadie dragged Diamond away as she wiped her mouth on her sleeve.  
"Christ, I'm sorry." Diamond held up a hand weakly in protest.  
"It's not you it's just my nerves. That and I think I'm finally starting to get what they call morning sickness. My friend told me that I would start getting sick in the mornings and if I was really unlucky at night too." Sadie pursed her lips.  
"That's it then, Jack will surely notice that. And as stupid as boys can be they know enough of what it means when a girl starts puking every morning." Diamond got a fierce light in her eyes.  
"I can't lose him Sadie, I just can't." Sadie remembered how she had been when she had been thinking the same thing about Spot and let out a little swear. Diamond looked at her curiously.  
"We know how we feel about those two boys Goddamn them but it's up to them how they react to whatever news it is we ever give them. If Jack really wants to be with you then he'll be upset but he'll deal with it. Are you going to tell him it's his or Spot's?" She looked slightly taken aback by her blunt question.  
"At first I was going to tell him that it was his and be done with it. But then I realized that the time wouldn't match up and who would believe a healthy baby being born early? Besides what if the kid has blonde hair? I could lie but I'd feel horrible about it." Sadie agreed and studied her intently.  
"If you tell Jack that the kid is Spot's then you know Spot will find out sooner or later." Sadie swore louder this time.  
"If Spot finds out that I knew all along that the kid was his he and I are going to fight about it, I can already tell." Diamond shrugged.  
"There are things I know he hasn't told you and there are things I know you have hidden from him and everyone else. He won't hold it against you for long, trust me." Sadie wasn't so sure about that. They stopped discussing the baby when they realized that they had walked all the way back to the lodging house. She almost did a double take when she saw her cousin Emma standing out front flirting shamelessly with Kid Blink and Mush, an enraged Cloudy standing nearby arms crossed in front of her chest, eyes narrowed dangerously. Racetrack lounged on the front stoop smoking a cigar and Sadie jerked her head at him waving him over.  
"When did SHE get here," she hissed furiously in his ear as he bent his head towards her.  
"Little while ago, was asking for ya and then decided to peruse the selection," his voice was heavily tinged with sarcasm and she could tell from the disgusted glances he was throwing in her direction that he didn't like Emma.  
"Does Kid Blink know that Cloudy is most likely going to kill him any second now?" Racetrack muffled a laugh and looked at Blink whose eyes seemed slightly glazed over as Emma chattered brightly at him nonstop.  
"I don't think Cloudy has anything to worry about, Blink and Mush don't seem too interested." Sadie thought Mush looked slightly interested herself but she didn't want to argue with Race.  
Cloudy stepped forward and put a hand on Blink's arm, stopping Emma in her tirade. Blink shook his head and smiled brightly down at Cloudy which seemed to placate her. Giving Emma a murderous look, she and Blink disappeared into the lodging house. Emma then noticed Sadie and Diamond standing off to one side.  
"Hi Sadie love!" she screeched making Sadie wince. Racetrack patted her shoulder and gave her a look that stated she was clearly on her own as he made a hasty retreat into the lodging house himself. Diamond was trying to hide a grin behind a hand as she watched Sadie grind her teeth.  
"What are you doing here Emma? You said you didn't want to meet the newsies." The taller girl shrugged and something flashed across her face that Sadie couldn't identify.  
"Oh well I got bored and lost and I asked Mush here if he knew you and he said he did and that you would probably show up here later so here I am." Diamond shook her head and Sadie sighed.  
"Yeah here you are and now what?" Mush started talking to Diamond about a girl he had seen earlier that day and Sadie couldn't help but smile at the girl-crazy boy.  
"Is Spot coming by later or what?" Racetrack had stuck his head back out of the doorway to the lodging house. Sadie nodded at him and heard a strangled little gasp.  
"Who's Spot?" Emma's face had turned an interesting shade of white as she turned to Sadie and asked her that question. Sadie felt her chest puff out slightly in pride.  
"Spot's the leader of the Brooklyn newsies and he's my boy." Emma looked as if she was going to suddenly vomit.  
"He's your man?" Sadie nodded a smile crossing her face as she thought about him. Diamond snickered and then pointed past Emma.  
"Speak of the Devil and he shall appear." Spot was striding up the sidewalk twirling his cane, Whiskey, Pirate and Striker walking alongside him. Sadie thought Emma was going to pass out. Growing slightly irritated at her cousin's strange behavior she made her sit down on the front stoop and forced her head between her knees. Striker slapped her hand on her knee and guffawed at the scene in front of them.  
"What the hell is her problem?" Sadie shrugged up at Striker who had lit a cigarette and was peering down at Emma. Spot slung an arm around Sadie's waist and pulled her to him planting a chaste kiss on her cheek. He hated getting all lovey-dovey in front of the other newsies and usually only showed a reserved sort of affection towards Sadie in front of the other kids. There was a loud whoop and Ink barreled out of the lodging house to leap onto Pirate whose face turned numerous brilliant shades of red.  
"Christ woman can't you act normal," he growled carrying her back inside the building. Sadie knew Ink would have gotten pissed if it wasn't for the curve of a pleased smile on his lips.  
"Whiskey, Spot, Striker, this is my cousin Emma." Spot had a displeased look on his face as he studied the girl in front of him. Sadie had told him how her cousin had used to torture her. Emma looked up smiling thinly at the trio and nodded her head at each of them. Sadie had never seen her act so oddly before. Emma seemed to shrink under Spot's gaze and she suddenly leapt to her feet.  
"I, I should really be going. Er, I'll see you later Sadie." Looking hurriedly at Spot, Emma took off down the sidewalk at a fast pace. Sadie cocked her head.  
"What the hell was that all about?" Striker was watching Emma go a confused look spread across her face. Sadie shrugged.  
"I have no idea, she's never acted like that before. Geez Spot you're a scary bastard ain't ya?" Spot grinned then, his smile reaching his eyes lighting up his face as he laughed and stuck a crudely rolled cigarette between his lips.  
"I guess so huh? Where's Jack I have an idea of how to draw out that shit that's hurting my newsies." This time he looked at Diamond expecting her to know and answer. Diamond wouldn't meet his eyes and Sadie felt her heart go out to her.  
"Jack said something about being her right after he was finished selling so if he's not here already then he should be here soon." Spot's glance lingered on Diamond a moment longer before he nodded and nudged Sadie with his elbow.  
"Let's go inside then and wait." Sadie agreed and all the kids trooped into the lodging house. Sadie found her mind was occupied by how her cousin had been acting as they went up the rickety staircase to the bunkroom to wait for Jack to get back. Something wasn't right and she was sure as hell going to find out what that was.  
  
Callista-Bella - Yeah Sadie has a dark side. I'm not sure why I decided to give her one, but usually even the most innocent acting person has their own demons.  
  
Hills of Eire - Heh I thought Lucky was the character's name you sent me. Was I wrong or do you want me to call her Aine? (Grr I can't figure out how to get that little accent thing over the e Damnit.) But anyways if I got the character wrong I'm sorry I thought I was going by what you sent me. I actually had to switch computers so if you want to resend me the info I'd appreciate it. You'll have to wait and see if Spot finds out. ; ) 


End file.
